Patty
Mahlon
(January 20, 2004) - In 2003 Dark Crystal fans were
showered with a wonderful assortment of high-quality products, including
a re-released Dark Crystal CD soundtrack
and the much-anticipated reprinting of the World
of the Dark Crystal book. It's too bad that 2003 ended on a bittersweet
note with the release of The Dark Crystal Collector's Edition DVD Box
Set.

Jim
Henson's 1982 fantasy epic is a landmark in cinematic artistry matched
only by Peter Jackson's recent “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
The Dark Crystal follows the adventures of two elfin creatures and their
quest to free their world from the evil reign of the reptilian Skeksis.
The film stands as a unique achievement; not a single human being appears
onscreen. Its lush settings and unusual creatures (designed by Brian Froud)
elevated it above all other 80's fantasy efforts, and The Dark Crystal
has earned a devoted cult following as a result.

At a glance,
the handsomely-packaged collector's edition DVD promises great things,
but in reality it delivers little more than what's contained in the superb
1999 Dark Crystal DVD.

The physical
supplements set this edition apart from the 1999 release more than anything
else. The box set contains a new short foreword by Cheryl Henson (printed
on a sheet of vellum) that tells the story of how she and her father wrote
the outline for the film during a snow storm in 1978. Since the information
is contained in the World of the Dark Crystal book and the out-of-print
Making of the Dark Crystal book, the foreword does not offer any new revelations
to fans of the film. Indeed, the booklet that accompanies the 1999 DVD
actually boasts more information on the film itself. But the new foreword
does manage to offer a welcomed personal touch.

Also included
in the box set is a “limited edition senitype” which is basically
a tiny mounted reproduced frame of film. I have to admit: I don't quite
understand the appeal of this sort of thing, but if you like senitypes,
perhaps you'll appreciate it more than I. My senitype is numbered at 80,000,
so I question how collectible it is given the quantity that's apparently
available.

The
best physical supplement is a reproduced handwritten notebook by Jim Henson.
Indeed, the notebook is the one truly jaw-dropping item in the package,
and it offers a fascinating glimpse into Jim Henson's creative process.
The notebook shows how Henson initially conceived the film's characters,
names, and story, and it demonstrates how his characters evolved into
what appeared in the finished film. Although it's more richly detailed
than the promotional booklet that accompanied the reprinted World of the
Dark Crystal book, these notes cover much of the same ground. Regardless,
the notebook is a lovely item for die-hard fans of the film.

As for the
DVD itself, the menus are virtually identical to those appearing on the
1999 release. The actual film, presented in its full theatrical widescreen
glory, seems to be the same transfer that graced the 1999 release as well
as the 2003 Superbit DVD. The chief problem here is that the transfer
is not flawless; it contains consistent pops and scratches even in scenes
where the special effects cannot be blamed for the blemishes. This might
seem like a minor complaint at first. But when you realize that these
flaws have now been pressed onto three different DVD releases they become
less forgivable. The short of it is: there is nothing that sets this presentation
of the film apart from the 1999 release; even the misspelled names in
the subtitles remain intact.

Considering
that there's a Superbit Dark Crystal DVD available, it comes as a surprise
that the extras are included on the same disc as the film. The extras
are plentiful, yet only three are unique to this collector's edition.

The first
of the new extras is “The Mithra Treatment” which is compromised
of more developmental notes penned by Henson. While interesting, these
notes are somewhat redundant in light of the physical notebook included
in the package. Another new addition to the DVD package is a gallery of
character sketches; most of which are available in the reprinted World
of the Dark Crystal book. The last “new” extra is a series
of storyboard illustrations, many of which have not been seen since the
Making of the Dark Crystal book was available. It should be said that
most of this material is familiar territory for fans of the film.

The rest
of the bonus material is identical to what appears on the 1999 disc with
the exception of the isolated score, which was curiously (and rather regrettably)
omitted entirely from this new box set.

The World
of the Dark Crystal documentary is included again, and it features the
same mysterious sound drop-outs that ever-so-slightly marred the 1999
DVD release. There are several trailers, the infamous deleted funeral
scene, original language workprint scenes, a selection of character descriptions
from The World of the Dark Crystal book, and a trio of woefully brief
talent files.

The
primary difference between the latest collector's edition and the 1999
special edition is its pricetag. The box set comes with a suggested retail
price of $49.95, while the special edition sells for no more than $19.95.
Therein lies my problem with this set. No matter how much you love this
film, it is extremely difficult to justify the additional $30. For me,
the booklet stands as the main draw of this set, and as enjoyable as it
is, it's simply not worth $30 by itself. The box set becomes more frustrating
when you consider that the special edition contains an identical transfer,
and a near-identical extras package. When I pay $50 for a DVD I tend to
expect a Criterion-quality transfer, new commentaries, and ample exclusive
material -- no such luck here.

This edition
could have been truly extraordinary, and instead if feels rather lazy
at the expense of the completists who opt to buy it. Granted, the 1999
Dark Crystal special edition was delightfully robust for its price, but
with three Dark Crystal DVDs on the market, even the most die-hard fans
will likely feel as if their essence is being drained by this release.
I truly hope that future Henson collector's editions have more to offer
than this.

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